Nigeria has also opened up to the activities of other International agencies aimed at curbing Financial and Economic Crimes.

In February 2006, office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistant and Training (OPDAT) section within the Justice Department of the United States conducted a three day conference on financial crimes, asset forfeiture and money laundering in Abuja, Nigeria, for approximately 50 Nigeria prosecutors and police. Topics included: money laundering, asset forfeiture, financial investigation, prosecuting complex financial cases, and offshore banking and electronic funds transfer systems.

Nigeria has been engaged in the activities of International law Enforcement Academies (ILEAs), Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice, Office of the Controller of the Currency (OCC), US Department of Treasury etc.

The government of Nigeria is not alone in this fight. It has received support from International agencies since it showed commitment to eliminate financial crimes from the Nigeria system. The European Union has so far spent about $32million on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. A sum total of about $37,055.00million have been received from external donors. Donor funds to EFCC are not given directly to the Commission. All donor funds are tied to specific projects like the establishment of the EFCC Training and Research Institute (TRI) in Karu, Abuja, equipping the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), building of IT Infrastructure, building of the National Crime Data Centre, building and equipping the forensic laboratory, installing media equipment, capacity building etc.

The fund manager of these donations are the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) who impose strict procurement and contracting procedure in compliance with International standards.

CONCLUSION
The fight is still on. Remarkable success has been made. Strict sanctions on Nigeria are beginning to be relaxed. The campaign is still confronting some challenges especially from victims of the war on economic and financial crimes. They have embarked on massive media campaign against the EFCC. In the words of Nuhu Ribadu, the EFCC Chairman “Now the trend is being reversed, although the forces that want to maintain the status quo are fighting the forces of reform vehemently. The beneficiaries of corruption, the enemies of the people are fighting back with their massive illicit resources. This is no surprise…”

With the government of Nigeria ready and actually confronting one of the biggest problems plaguing the country, with the EFCC still steaming, the Nigeria state hopefully is approaching the Promised Land.

The EFCC Chairman further reiterated his commitment to this war on financial crimes in his paper presentation “The assurance I can give the nation is that for we in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), we approach our duties with the highest sense of responsibility and patriotism, determined to confront the perpetrators of these crimes headlong and to fish them out wherever they may be, bring them to justice and confiscate all their ill-gotten wealth. We know the harm their crimes cause us as a nation and as a people. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) therefore continue to pursue them and frustrate them from their illegal activities. The frustrations on our part fire us to work even harder, rather than give up. No patriot gives up on corrupt criminals”. 14

1. International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (Volume II Money Laundering and Finance Crimes March 2007) (INCSR)

2.  Supra

3.  NUHU RIBADU: Sanitising Nigeria’s Business Environment for Direct Foreign Investment (A paper presented at the annual patriots’ club of Nigeria luncheon in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Thursday, February 24, 2005).

4.  INCSR, Op. Cit

5.  Nigeriavillagesquare.com, Emmanuel F. Ogbunwezeh:- EFCC and Cyber Crimes: The true lessons.

6.   Nuhu Ribadu, Op. Cit

7.   INCSR, Op. Cit

8.   Efccnigeria.org – obstacles to effective prosecution of corrupt practices and financial crime cases in Nigeria. A paper delivered by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

9.   Nuhu Ribadu, Op. Cit

10. Efccnigeria.org, Op. Ct

11. Forbes Global Magazine, October 18, 1999 pg 20.

12. Nuhu Ribadu – Implication of Economic and financial crimes on the nation’s economy.efccnigeria.org

13. INCSR, Op. Cit

14. Efccnigeria.org, Op. Cit